Toy figure



April 17, 1945 'J. L. KALLUS 'IOY FIGURE Filed June 12, 1941 INVENTOR.J0 5EP// A. 1641.405

A TTOE/VEY Patented Apr. 17, 1945 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOY FIGUREJoseph L. Kallus, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application June 12, 1941, Serial No. 397,664 1 Claim. (01. 46-173) Myinvention relates to toy figures such as dolls, toy animals and thelike, and more particularly to jointed toy figures. having bodies andother members made of highly flexible material such as soft rubber,fabric and the like. Because of the inherent yielding or non-rigidcharacteristics of the soft rubber, fabric orequivalent material,considerable difiiculty has heretofore been experienced in combining theparts of the figures in a manner to provide efiicient arrangements ofjoints which will withstand use and permit adjustment of the variousparts of the figures in a natural and lifelike manner.

The invention has for its object to provide novelconstructions in whichthese dificulties are overcome and in which the body of each toy figureand associated membersare connected in jointed rela tion in a simple andefiicient manner.

Other objects will appear from the description hereinafter, and thefeatures of novelty will be pointed out'in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates examples of the inventionwithout defining its limits,

Fig. 1 is afragmentary sectionalview of a doll embodying the novelfeatures;

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view illustrating the neck portion of thedoll at one stage of construction;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the leg and arm socket arrangement; I

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section showing a portion of the body at the armand leg sockets;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of another form of the novel limbconstruction, and

Fig. 6 is a similar view of another form of th novel neck arrangement.

In the illustrated, examples of the invention, the novel features areshown as embodied in dolls having jointed or relatively movableheads,legs and arms, for which they are particularly adapted. It is tobe understood, however, that the examples shown in the drawing have beenselected for illustrative and'descriptive purposes only and that thenovel features may be utilized with equal efiiciency in connection withother types of jointed toy figures such as toy animals, etc., and thedescription and claim are to be construed accordingly. I

As shown in the drawing, thedoll comprises a hollow body I!) which isconstructed of soft sheet rubber or other equivalent highly flexiblematerial, such as a suitable fabric, or the like. In the finishedcondition the body 10 is filled in the conrial ll customarily used forthis purpose to give the desired form and effect to said body l ll. Atits upper end the body I0 is formed with a continuing neck section l2which in'its initial con- ,dition includes an integral tubular sleevesection 13 as shown in Fig.2.

The doll further includes a neck member 14 of wood or other suitablerigid material and predetermined shape; for instance, as shown, theouter surface of said member Hi may converge upwardly from a slopingannular flange IE to a rounded upper end It as'illustrated in Figs. 1and 2. The neck member I4 is provided with an upwardly open axial recessl1 and a continuing axial opening [8 which terminates at a recess I9preferably formed in the bottom or inner end surface of said neck memberI 4 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In the finished condition of the doll,the neck member [4 is located within the neck section l2 of the bodywith the tubular sleeve section i3 7 turned inwardly into the axialrecess I! in surface ventional manner with any suitable fillingmateengagement with the surface thereof as shown in Fig. 1. Prior to itsinsertion into the recess I! the tubular section l3 may becut to theproper length, if necessary, to properly fitinto said recess H. Thesection l3 maybe secured in the recess I! in any convenient manner as bymeans of a plug 20 dimensioned to fit into the recess H in a, manner toclamp the sleeve section IS in said recess I1, and provided with anaxial bore 2| as illustrated in Fig. 1; The plug 20 maybe made of woodor other suitable material, and in its operative position preferablyrests upon the-bottom of the recess ll withits axial bore 2|. inregistry with the opening l8. Friction alone may be relied upon t fixthe plug 20 in place in the recess IT to properly clamp the section l3therein, or if desired said plug 20' may be cemented or otherwisesecured in its operative position. The dolls head 22 which may be of anyconventional type and material, is providedwith an opening 23 wherebysaid head 22 is movably mounted on the neck section I2 of the body asshown in Fig. l. The head 22 may be movably combined with the body It orspecifically the neck section I2 thereof in any well-known way as bymeans of an elastic ban 24. In such arrangement the band 24 may have itsone end connected with a cross-pin 25 located in the recess I9 of theneck member l4 and spanning the opening l8 thereof, and its other endsuitably secured in the interior of the head 22 in any customary manner.As illustrated in Fig. 1, the elastic band 24 passes through the openingl8 and bore 2| of the plug or sleeve 20 to the interior of the head 22to enable the latter to be relatively shifted in simulation of thenatural movements of the human head.

In addition to the parts so far described, the body It! is provided witharm sockets 26 of circular concave form and continued in the form ofpreferably cylindrical sleeve sections 2! provided at their inner endswith inwardly directed annular flanges 28. Because of the inherentflexibility of the material of which the body and the integral sockets26 are constructed, the latter are supported by interior supportingdevices or reinforcing members 29 made of wood or other suitable rigidmaterial. The supporting devices or reinforcing members 29 may be of anycon: venient external form and include end faces of circular concaveform corresponding to the circular concave form of the sockets26. Thesupporting devices or reinforcing members 29 are further provided withpreferably circular recesses 3| open at the end faces 30 andcommunicating with axial openings 32 or relatively reduced diameters andopen at the inner ends of the sup porting devices or members 28 asillustrated in Figs. 1 and 3.

In the assembled condition of the parts the material of the body [6which forms the arm sockets 26 islocatd in surface engagement with thecircular concave end faces 30 of the supporting devices or reinforcingmembers 29 with the cylindrical sleeve sections 21 of said arm sockets26 extending into the circular recesses 3! of said devices orrneinbers29' in surface engagement with the walls thereof and the inwardlyextending flanges 26 resting engagement with the bottoms of saidrecesses 3| as shown in Fig. 1. The body material comprising the armsockets 2 6, sleeves f2! and flanges 28 is combined with the supportingdevices of reinforcing members 29 by means of plugs 33 dimensioned tosnugly fit into the recesses 31 in a manner to clamp the sleeve sections2! therein and to clamp the flanges 28 against the bottoms of saidrecesses 3|. The plugs 33 are formed with cylindrical extensions 34dimensioned to snugly fit into the axial openings 32 ofthe devices crmembers 29 so as to be rigidly fi xed in place by frictionai engagementwith the surfaces of said openings32 or by being cemerited or otherwisesecured therein; preferably the extensions 34 are of less axial lengththan the axiallength ofth'e openings 32 as shown in Fig. 1. The p1ugs 33in addition are formed with circular concave faces 35 corresponding tothe circular 'concave form of the arm sockets 26 and forming therewithacontinuous socket of circular concave form as illustrated in Fig. 1. Inadditionthe sleeves 33 and extensions 34 are provided with axial bores36 opening at the concave surfaces 35 and the inner ends of saidextensions 34 respectively, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. d V I The armmembers 3! of the doll are constructed of soft sheet rubber or otherequivalent highly flexible material such as a suitable fabric orthelike, and are hollow, said arm members in the finished conditionbeing filled in the conventional manner with any suitable fillingmaterial 38 customarily used for this purpose to ive the desired formand effect to said-arm members 37. At their upper ,ends the arm members37 ar routed with spherical sections 39 adapted to fit the arm sockets26 inthe assembled condition of the doll to provide shoulder joints onwhich said arm members may be adjusted relatively to the body, Toprovide the necessary rigidity to the flexible material of which the armmembers 31 are constructed, the spherical end sections 39 are internallyreinforced by means of reinforcing members or supporting devices 40illustrated in the form of spheres of wood or other suitable rigidmaterial, The reinforcing members or supporting devices 40 are providedwith inwardly directed recesses 4! open at the outer surfaces of saiddevices or members 40 and adapted to receive tubular or sleeve sections42 comprising integral parts of the spherical end sections 39 of the armmembers 31 and extending into the recesses 4| of the reinforcing membersor supporting devices 40 in surface engagement with the walls thereof.The sleeve sections 42 are fastened in the recesses 41 by means of plugs43 of wood or other suitable material and dimensioned to snugly fit intoplace in a manner to securely clamp said sleeve sections 42 in place insaid recesses 4!. Friction alone may be relied upon to maintain theplugs 43 in their operative positions or said plugs 43 may be cementedor otherwise secured in place if this should be deemed necessary ordesirable. The plugs 43 are provided with axial bores 44 extendingthrough said plugs 43 and registering with axial openings 45 provided inthe spherical reinforcing members or supporting devices 40, it beingunderstood that in the assembled condition of the parts the plugs 43preferably rest against the bottoms of the recesses 4| as shown in Fig.1.

When combined with the body in the spherical and sections 39 of the armmembers 37 are located in the arm sockets 26 in surface engagementtherewith as illustrated in Fig. 1. Any suitable means may be providedfor movably combining the arm members 3! with the body 16 or in otherwords, to movably fix the sphericm end sections 33 the arm sockets 26.As shown in Fig. 1 this means may comprise elastic bands 46 extendingthrough the axial bores 36 or the plugs 33 and extensions'34 and intothe axial bOies 44 Of the sleeves 4 3 and having their one endsconnected to pins 41 lying in engagement with the end faces of theextensions 34. The other ehds or said elastic bands 46 as shown ma beconnected with the hooked ends of fastening pins '48 extending throughthe axia1 Openings 45 of the reinforcing members or su porting devices40 and having heads 49 preferably located in recesses 50 formed thereinas illustrated in Fig. 1. At the proper points the body [0 may furtherbe provided with leg sockets '51 of circular concave form and continuedthe form of preferably cylindrical sleeve sections '52 provided at theirinner ends with inwardly directed annular flanges 53. Reinforcingmembers or supporting devices 54 corresponding to the members ordevi'ces 2'9 and likewise made of wood or other suitable rigid materialserve -'to rigidly support the leg sockets 5'] in a manner-similar tothat previously described with respect to the arm sockets 26. Thesupporting devices or reinforcing members 54 may be 'of any convenientexternal form and include end surfaces 55 of circular concave formcorresponding to the circular concave form of the leg sockets '5l. 'Thesupporting devices or reinforcing members 54 are further provided withpreferably circular recesses 56 for the accom modation of the sleevesections 52 and Tfianges 53, it being understood that the sleevesections 52 are located 'in surface engagement with the walls of therecesses :56 while the fiangesYSB are in engagement -with the bottomsthereof as illustrated in Fig. i. I i

"The booymateriai cinpris'ing the leg sockets the supporting devices orreinforcing members 54 .by means of a plug 51 dimensioned to snugly fitinto the recesses 56 in a manner to clampthe sleeve sections 52 thereinand to clamp the flanges 53 against the bottoms of said recesses 56. Thelugs 51 are formed with cylindrical extensions 58 dimensioned tsnuglyfit into the axial openings 59 with which the reinforcing members54 are provided as shown in Fig. 1 so as to be rigidly fixed in place byfrictional engagement with the surfaces of the openings 59 or by beingcemented or otherwise secured therein; the extensions 58 are preferablyalso of less axial length than the axial length of the openings 59 asillustrated'in Fig. 1'. The plugs 51 in additionare formed with circularconcave faces 60 corresponding to the circular concave form of the legsockets 5| and forming therewith a continuous socket of circular concaveform as shown in Fig. 1. The plugs 51 and extensions 58 in additioninclude axial bores 6| opening at the concave surfaces 6|] and the innerends of said extensions 58 in a manner 51and extensions 58 and into theaxial bores 69 of the sleeve 68. The bandss'H may have their through theaxial openings 18 of thereinforcing members 55, said pins 13 preferablyhaving heads 14 located in recesses 15 with which said reinforcingmembers-65 are provided.

The sockets for the arm and leg members may be provided in the body ||lin any convenient manner; for instance, the body material may be similarto that previously described with respect to the arm sockets.

The leg members 62 are constructed of soft sheet rubber or'otherequivalent highly flexible material such as a suitable fabric or thelike, and are hollow and filled in the conventional manner with anysuitable filling material 83 customarily used for this purpose, to givethe desired form and effect to said leg membersBZ. At their upper endsthe leg members 62 are formed with spherical sections 84 adapted to fitthe leg sockets 5| i the assembled condition of the doll to providejoints on whichsaid leg members may be adjusted relatively to the body.As in the arm members 31 the necessary rigidity is provided for thespherical end sections (54 by means of reinforcing members or supportingdevices 55 illustrated in the form of spheres of wood or other suitablerigid material.

The members 65 are provided with inwardly directed open ended recesses65 adapted to receive tubular or sleeve sections 61 comprising integralparts of the spherical end sections 64 of the leg members 62 andextending into the recesses 56 in surface engagement with the wallsthereof. The sleeve sections 61 are fastened in the recesses 66 by meansof plugs 58 of wood or other suitable material dimensioned to snugly fitinto place in a manner to securely clamp said sleeve sections 61 inplace in the recesses 66. Friction alone may be relied upon to maintainthe plugs 58 in their operative positions, or said plugs 68 may becemented or otherwise secured in place if this should be deemednecessary or desinable. The

plugs 58 are provided with axial bores 59 extending through said plugs68 and registering with axial openings 18 provided in the sphericalreinforcing members 65, it being understood that in the assembledcondition of the parts the plugs 68 preferably rest against the bottomsof the remolded to form the sockets 255 the sleeve sections 2|--52, andthe flanges 2853 as indicated by solid lines in Fig. 4, or the bodymaterial may be molded in the manner indicated by dotted lines in Fig.4, and then inverted into the body Ill to properly provide the limbsockets and their associated elements; as shown in Fig. 3 the limbsockets may be produced by molding and in their initial condition mayinclude outwardly projecting tubular sections a, which subsequently maybe cut to proper length to provide the sleeve seccable with equalefficiency to the leg members;

the description accordingly is to be construed as covering both the armmembers and the leg members. The arm members Sl in the form underdiscussion are made of soft sheet rubber orother equivalent highlyflexible material, such as a suitable fabric or the like, and are hollowand filled in the conventional manner with any suite able fillingmaterial 38%. At their upper ends the arm members 37 are formed withcurved sections 39 and continuing tubular or sleeve sections 42*. Meanswhereby the necessary rigidity is given to the sections 38 comprisesapproximately hemispherical supporting; devices W made of wood or othersuitable rigid material. The members l!) are provided with inwardlydirected recesses 4P into which the sections 42*- extend so as to lie insurface engagement with the walls less universal movements relatively tothe body l0. 1

Any suitable means may be provided for maintaining the leg members 62 inmovable connection with the body ID, or, in other words, to movably fixthe spherical end sections 64 in the leg sockets 5|. As in the case ofthe arm members this means may comprise elastic bands 1|extendingthrough the axial bores 6| of the plugs vided with cylindricalextensions 'l'l dimensioned to fit into the recesses 4| in a manner tosecurely clamp the. sleevesections 42 in place therein. The plugs,orbearing members 16 include axial bores 18 and are provided exteriorlywith bearing surfaces 18 curved in a manner to properly lit the limbsockets previously described herein;

When combined with the bodies of the toy figures, the bearing members 16are seated in the co-operating sockets with the surfaces 19 inengagement with the surfaces of said sockets. Any suitable means may beprovided for maintaining the limb members in place in said socket-s. Forinstance, as shown in Fig. 5, the members ill may be provided withopenings and con-,

necting surface recesses 8| for the accommodation of metallic or otherloops 82, as shown in ends 01 elastic. bands, a; respectively. That isto say, one end of a given elastic band 84 may be connected with thehook 83 of one. limb. its

other end may be connected with the hook. 3. of

the opposite corresponding limb member. Obvi- -ously this is only anexample. of the means for maintaining the parts an assembled conditionand is not in any sense intended to define the only way in which thismay bedone. e

In Fig. 6 I have shown another form of novel neck construction whichmaybe substituted for the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, andwhich comprises a neck member or sleeve M. of wood or other suitablematerial provided atone end with a sloping annular flange fli at itsother end the member or sleeve HI is formed with a preferably fiat endface Ili An axial bore or recess ll extends through the member or sleeveM from the end face 15 thereof to a recess 19 formed in the bottom orinner end face of the neck member or sleeve hi as illustrated in Fig. 6.

The neck member or sleeve- M in the assembled condition of the parts, islocated within the neck section l2 of the body in interior surfaceengagement with said neck section w as shown. The latter, in otherwords, extendsover said neck sleeve I l and is turned inwardly to forman inwardly directed annular flange l3 which extends over the end face16 of said neck sleeve N in surface contact therewith.

The material of the neck section I2 is clamped on the sleeve or member Mby means of abearing member 2i) which projects over the end face it andincludes a tubular extension 26 dimensioned to snugly fit into the boreor recess Il of the sleeve or member H. In its operative position thebearing member 20 engages-the flange l 3*- of the neck section 12 andclamps it in place against the end face l6 of the sleeve or member M andis fixed in clamping position by the extension 29 in the bore U In someinstances the flange la of the neck section i2 may be continued into thebore ll in surface engagement with the wall thereof so as to be engagedand clamped in said bore H by the tubular extension 26) as will beobvious.

In any case the bearing member 26 is provided with 2. preferably curvedbearing surface 20 on which the head 22* is movably' mounted. Anysuitable means, for instance as shown in Fig 1 and describedhereinbefore, may be provided for movably maintaining the head 22 inplace on said bearing member 20,.

While I have. described the various novel features specifically inconnection with a toy doll, it. will be. obvious that they may beincorporated with equal efiiciency in othertoy figures such as. toyanimals in such manner that said toy figures, will very closelyapproximat the originals of which said figures are. copies. In all formsthe toy figures accordingly present. not only a most natural appearance,but embody characteristics closely simulating those of the human oranimal bodies constituting the originals of the toy bodies in question.

Although the present. invention has been described in conjunction withpreferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications andvariations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention, as thoseskilled in the art will readilyunderstand. Such variations. and: modifications. are considered to bewithin the purview and scope of the claim.

I claim:

In a toy figure, a rigid reinforcing member provided with an end surfaceof circular concave form and having anannular recess open at said endsurface, and an axial opening extending from said annular recess, a bodyof highly flexible' material having an integral circular concave portionlying in surface engagement with the concave end surface of saidreinforcingmember to constitute a limb socket on said body, a sleevesection forming an integral extension of said concave portion of saidbody material projecting' into saidannular recess in surface contactwith the wall thereof, an annular inwardly directed flange forming anintegral part of said sleeve section and resting in engagement with thebottom of said recess, a plug fitted into said recess for clamping saidsleeve section and annular flange therein and provided'with a circularconcave face forming together with the circular concave, portion of saidbody material said limb socket, and an extension projecting from saidplug into said axial opening in frietional engagement, with the wallthereof to fix said plug in its operative position.

JQSEPH L. KAILUS.

